PLAY WITH PERSPECTIVE

Understand how changing your shooting height and depth of field can impact the perspective

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HEAD HEIGHT

Most shots are taken at around head height, and because this is a perspective we’re used to seeing they often lack the instant ‘wow’ factor of images taken from a low or high angle. If it’s not appropriate to get very low to the ground or high up, it’s worth seeing what framing you can get by crouching on one knee, as even this will offer a different viewpoint.

Perspective is a huge factor in a composition that’s often overlooked. It’s all to do with what you include in the frame, the spacing between objects or your foreground and background, and how high the camera is elevated. Many of the pictures we take are shot at head height, but simply crouching down or reaching up can change your perspective massively. Many cameras now feature articulating LCD screens, making it much easier to compose images at these awkward angles, and it’s a simple and quick way of giving your shots a completely different look. A simple change of shooting height can also make your subject look more or less dominant in the frame by introducing a high or low angle, which alters the mood of the image.